Anticipated and perceived pain from midtrimester amniocentesis.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the anticipated and perceived pain and determine the factors contributing to pain perception in women undergoing midtrimester amniocentesis.

METHODS

A visual analog scale was used to quantify pain in this prospective study of 64 women undergoing amniocentesis in the same clinical setting. The analysis was done using the paired-samples t test, analysis of variance, the Kruskal-Wallis test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The postprocedural pain scores were significantly less than the preprocedural pain scores (P<0.01). Parity, a previous amniocentesis, the indication for amniocentesis, and the previous loss of a child were factors contributing to pain scores. No correlations were found between pain score and maternal age, week of pregnancy at the time of the procedure, parity, or having lost a child.

CONCLUSION

The perceived pain was less than the anticipated pain, and the factors contributing to pain should be kept in mind when counseling patients undergoing midtrimester amniocentesis.